Return
by CathyRach95
Summary: AU set after Mockingjay (so don't read if you haven't read the entire book-unless you want to of course). Annie's POV. Annie's life took a turn for the worst. How is she now getting it back under control? (I am so sorry, I suck at summaries!) Rated T because I have not idea where I'm going with this!
1. Moving On

_**AN:/ Me again! Haha. Well, while I was trying to get ideas for my other story (The Games Will Change You), this idea arrived in my head. So I got to writing it straight away. I'll be updating both of my stories, so I'll try to update them both on a regular basis. **_

_**Please be kind and review this as I would LOVE to know what you think about it. Also, if you want to follow/ favourite this, that would be awesome.**_

_**Characters and Panem belong to Suzanne Collins, ideas in this story belong to me.**_

**Chapter One**

**Moving On**

I remember the day well, the day he died. It was only a few weeks after the happiest day of our lives. It replayed itself over and over in my head, the painful memories not wanting to go away. I was in District Thirteen sat with Johanna, watching the Star Squad on their mission. They had faced many problems, but at the time it was looking good for them, that was until the Mutts. They were being chased to their deaths. I remember grabbing Johanna's hand even though we had never really gotten along. This time we were as one. I watched him die. They tore him apart, there was blood everywhere. Johanna and I both loved him, and I can remember crying over him for hours, maybe even days with her. I had never expected Johanna to be the crying type. Finnick Odair, the Capitol reported, was dead. He had been murdered by the Capitol, and only a few days after I discovered I was pregnant.

That was almost a year ago. Everything changed from that day. The remaining victors had voted on one final games using the children of the Capitol. Katniss had killed President Coin, and that was that. I was allowed home to District Four. It wasn't home anymore though, not without Finnick. It had been difficult, for nine months I had been completely alone, except for the occasional phone call from Johanna, but she didn't call often. The last time I saw the people I had met because of Finnick was at the memorial for those who were lost during the rebellion.

_Everyone around me was wearing black, but not me. I was wearing a blue dress, very simple but it had been a gift from Finnick so I felt that it was the right thing to wear. I stood alone, looking at the others, all mourning for a different person. "Hey Ann, mind if I join you?" It was Johanna. "No. Feel free." "How are you coping Annie?" "I'm doing fine." I was lying, and she knew it. She put her arm around my shoulder. "You don't have to lie Annie. He always told you to be true to how you feel." "I miss him. I miss him so much. It hurts every day." I felt tears sting my eyes. "Jo, you said there was nobody left that you cared about or that cared about you. Well, he cared. You were one of his best friends, he would tell me that." She nodded before walking away. I decided to talk to a few people who had known Finnick, and the first people I saw were Katniss and Peeta. "Hello Katniss. How are you managing?" "My sister was killed by my best friend, how do you think I'm managing?" "Katniss, you're not the only one who has lost someone, and you can't keep blaming Gale." "Shut up Peeta." He took hold of her hand, and I felt so heartbroken, I had nobody to hold my hand and tell me everything would be alright. "Annie, how are you coping?" I took a deep breath, "If I'm honest Peeta, I'm not." He didn't say anything, but his eyes did the talking, like everyone else he was worried about me, because I was the crazy girl who had never been able to cope without Finnick. "Annie, if you ever need anything, you can always call us." "Thank you." Katniss had been silent for a while. "I'll leave you two alone now." "Wait." "Yes Katniss?" "If it's a boy, call him Finnick. Honour his memory, please." I looked at her, how did she know. "You're starting to show Annie. If it's a boy, call him Finnick." "I will. I promise."_

Since that day I barely slept, my nightmares were filled with images of Finnick being ripped apart and bleeding to death. In some nightmares he was calling my name, and I couldn't save him. It was killing me. I didn't ever tell Johanna about my nightmares, she didn't need to know. She had managed to find herself a decent life now she was back in District Seven so she didn't need to hear my troubles.

It was nearing the anniversary of Finnick's death, one year since he was taken. I had been dreading this day for weeks, the only thing that was keeping me going was my son, our son. Baby Finn. Born almost eight months after Finnick had died, and Finnick hadn't even known. He never got the joy of discovering he would be a father. Finn looked like his father, the same eyes, the same face, and I assume he will have the same smile. He doesn't look at all like me, a harsh reminder that Finnick is gone.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by his crying. He cried a lot, but so did I. I'm sure he could sense that I was sad. I crossed the hallway to his room, and lifted him from his crib. "What's wrong baby? Don't cry, everything's alright. Shh, just go back to sleep." He didn't stop crying. I tried to remember everything I had learnt about getting a child to stop crying, I held him close to my chest so he could hear my heartbeat, that was supposed to be comforting, but not to Finn. "Please stop crying. Please. You're making Mommy cry." He wasn't going to stop, so I placed him back in his crib and sat beside it. I stroked the top of his head, hoping to sooth him to sleep, but nothing. Singing supposedly calms a child, but I can't sing. "I'm a terrible mother." I told myself. "I wish you were here to help me." Sometimes talking out loud to myself made me feel better.

After a while he stopped crying and started to drift off to sleep. "Your Daddy would have loved you. If only he could have gotten to meet you. I'll tell you all about him when you're older. He was a very brave man, he was so loving and caring. I miss him, so much. You're the only reason I manage to keep going. You keep me sane." I regretted saying that even though he wouldn't have understood, he couldn't have understood. I sat beside the crib for a while, being with my son was comforting as he was a part of Finnick, one of the only things of his that I still owned.

When I started to feel like I should leave Finn alone, there was a knock on the door. I stood up, curious as to who would be calling here at this time. Just as I reached the stairs, Finn started crying again. I was torn, should I comfort my child or answer the door. Some strange force inside me was pulling me towards the door. "Just a minute!" I called to whoever was stood outside. I remembered that I had been crying, so I made sure to check I looked alright. I looked as good as I could look, so I walked over to the door and opened it. "Hello Annie."


	2. Reunited

_**AN:/**_ **_Hey readers (if you exist), thank you for checking out the first chapter of this, and if you're reading this now you clearly enjoyed it which is always great. Here's chapter two, sorry it took quite a while to write, I haven't been creative at all for the past week! _**

**_Please review if you like it, or if you want to give feedback on it. Also favourite/ follow if you want to. Enjoy chapter two!_**

_**Characters and Panem belong to Suzanne Collins, ideas in this story belong to me.**_

**Chapter Two**

**Reunited**

I couldn't believe what I was seeing, it wasn't possible. Those eyes, that hair, those hands that used to hold mine tight, that smile. He couldn't be here. "You're not here. You're dead." "Annie, I'm here. It's me." "NO! You're dead, I saw you die. They killed you. Now I'm seeing things, nice one Annie." "Annie listen to me…" "I've officially lost it, I'm actually insane." This images took hold of my hands and smiled at me, a smile I had missed so much. "Finnick?" He felt real, he looked real. His skin was covered with scars from the attack that ended his life, or so I thought. He had to be real. "But how is this possible? You died." I was crying, all my emotions spilling over. "Annie it's will sound crazy but hear me out baby." I allowed him to enter the house, still ridiculously confused.

"Let me tell you what happened Annie. You won't believe I'm real until I tell you this, I once promised you that I would always tell you what was real. I'm alive and I'm here and I want to be with you. You're my one true love Annie Odair." Most people still called me Annie Cresta, everyone was trying to forget the rebellion that had taken so many lives. He pressed his lips against mine, and I started to understand, he had survived but how? "I know what you're thinking Annie. When the mutts attacked, I was in serious danger. They hurt me, they tore my skin, they inflicted horrific injuries on my body, but they didn't kill me. I was left for dead, but I had to survive, I had to make it home to you. I managed to get away Annie. The Capitol believed I was dead, they thought they had seen it happen, so they broadcast it. But when the cameras and mutts were gone, I managed to pull myself to safety. I found managed to find a doctor, he promised me he would be able to get me back to you. I was near death when I found him. I had lost a lot of blood, but he fixed me up. He stitched me back together. If I could have been back here sooner, I would have but there were complications along the way, and I am so so sorry that it took me a year to make it home. I tried so hard to get back sooner, but if I had I might not have survived when I was back with you. I didn't want you to see me die twice Annie." "It's alright Finnick. You're home now, right? You're home for good?" I placed my hands at the side of his face, I wanted to cherish every second I had with him. I couldn't believe Finnick, my Finnick, was in front of me. "Does Johanna know you're alive? Does Katniss?" "Not yet. I want to spend time with you before I tell them and make their heads spin." He lifted me from the ground and spun me around like he used to do when we were at the beach.

Our reunion was, however, quickly interrupted. "Annie, are you babysitting for someone?" "Not exactly." I took his hand and led him upstairs, the door facing us was ajar. He followed me, but stood by the wall, away from the crib. "Hey baby boy. Don't you cry, not now. Be happy." I turned back to Finnick, cradling baby Finn in my arms. "Finnick Odair, this is your son."

His jaw dropped, he was as shocked and confused as I had been when I opened the door to see him. "Annie, are you serious?" I nodded. "I found out I was pregnant a few days before I saw you die." A tear escaped my eye, and I didn't know why. "Why don't you come over here and say hello?" He didn't seem sure. "I promise you Finnick, he is your son." We walked to me and Finn, tears in his eyes. "Hey baby, this is your Daddy." I whispered to the crying infant. "Annie, he's beautiful. He looks so much like you." I was surprised to hear him say that, I was convinced he looked exactly like his Dad. "Do you want to hold him?" "I don't know. Will he cry? Well, cry more than he is now." "You won't know if you don't try." I handed him to Finnick, "Wait, what's his name?" In the emotion of the moment, it had slipped my mind to tell him. "Finn. I named him after you." "You didn't have to do that Annie." "I did. He was the only part of you I had left, I couldn't have named him anything else." Right now wasn't the time to mention it was Katniss who had suggested I name him after his father. "Why not Finnick Junior? Why Finn?" "Finnick Junior would have been a little too painful." He lightly kissed my lips, Finn getting a little squashed between us.

As soon as I moved away and completely let go of him and Finnick held him for the first time, he started to yell. "Oh. Annie, take him back, he doesn't like me." "No, he just doesn't know you yet. Just talk to him and be kind, he'll stop crying. Oh and make sure you're supporting his neck and head." I moved his arms so he was supporting his fragile form right. "Don't cry little Finn, Daddy's got you." I wiped his tears, and kissed his forehead. "You're so good with him Annie, you know exactly what to do." "I had to learn, it was just me and him so I had to learn and I had to learn fast. Talk to him Finnick, he'll love the sound of your voice. It always helped me." "How are you doing with that Annie?" I shook my head. "Not here, not now. Later. Get him back to sleep first." "Shh little boy, go to sleep. I can't believe you're my little one, I'm so lucky to have you and your Mummy." I was in awe, he was a total natural. Finn was asleep again almost instantly. "Annie?" "Put him back in the crib, be very gentle." "I'm not sure I can." "You can, I know you can" and he did, perfectly. "Goodnight little one." I whispered to him as we left the room.

"You're wonderful with him Finnick." "You really think so?" "I really do." He grinned, his smile stretching from ear to ear. He took my hand, "How have you been doing Annie?" I wanted to lie and tell him I'd been fine, but I was always honest to him. "It's been hard Finnick. It's made me a terrible mother, I've been forced to ignore him for hours until it went away. He wasn't safe around me when he was born, that was when it was worst." "But I'm back now, you'll be fine now. And if you have one of your moments, I'll be able to look after Finn."

We sat together for a while, not knowing what to say but knowing inside that there was so much that needed to be said. "Finnick?" "Yes Ann?" "Make love to me." "Ann, I don't know." "Please Finnick, it's not like we haven't done it all before, and something wonderful came from that. You've been gone for a year, I thought you were dead and…" he cut me off by crashing his lips to mine.


	3. Normal

_**AN:/ I'm sorry, I've been so slow at writing of late (Uni applications please forgive me) but I should be back to regular updates on both stories soon. Also I started writing a one shot, so maybe I'll get around to posting it. **_

_**Readers, if you exist, I hope you enjoy chapter three. If you do, you could always be lovely and review. **_

_**Characters and Panem belong to Suzanne Collins, ideas in this story belong to me.**_

Chapter Three

Normal

The next morning I woke with him next to me. Something I had longed to do for a year. He was still sleeping, so I lay for a while looking at him, taking in his face and how perfect it still is regardless of his scars. I wasn't allowed to stay like this for long as Finn had woken and was crying. I quickly rushed to him, doing my best to not wake Finnick in the process.

I picked him up from the crib and cuddled him. "Good morning little one, are you hungry? I bet you are. Let's feed you." I took him downstairs and sat in the kitchen to feed him, and as I fed him I sang him a song that I had been taught by a young girl in District Thirteen. "Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You'll be alright; no one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound." It was a traditional lullaby, but even though it calmed him, it never sent him to sleep. So I could happily sing it to him at any time of the day. I had been so wrapped up in the song and the eyes of my son, that I had forgotten about Finnick and hadn't even noticed that he was standing right next to me, listening closely.

I jumped when I saw him. He had been so quiet. "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you, but he was hungry." He kissed my forehead, "Don't worry about it. What were you singing?" I could feel my face turning pink. "You heard that?" "Yes. It was beautiful, why did you never tell me you could sing?" "Because I can't." I sat Finn up on my knee and kissed his nose. "It was a lullaby I was taught in District Thirteen. He likes it." "I don't blame him." He took Finn from my knee and tickled him. "I did mention he was perfect, yes?" "You said he looked like me." "Then I did." He had always known the sweetest things to say, and I was still in shock that I was hearing them again. As we set about getting Finn ready, the phone rang. "I'll get it; don't want anyone having a heart attack hearing your voice." I told him, and after all he was in the middle of bonding with his son.

"Hello?" "Hey Annie, just calling to check up on you and my little dude." "Oh, hello Johanna. We're doing wonderful, how are you? How's life in seven?" "Oh you know, same old same old. Annie have you found a new man, you sound different." Johanna had never been one to sugar coat things, she always went straight to the point. "Technically no. I haven't found a new man." "I'm confused, why do you sound so happy for a change. Whenever I call you're usually close to tears." "Jo, he came back." "Who did? What are you talking about? Are you having another episode, do I need to come stay with you?" "No, I'm fine. He came back. Finnick came home, he's not dead." "Annie, I think you're going mad…." As she continued to talk, I gestured for Finnick to come to the phone. "Annie, are you still there?" I took Finn from him so he could talk to Johanna. "Hey Jo, missed me?" I didn't hear what she said, but it was followed by a scream. I took Finn upstairs and put him in his crib so I could get myself ready. I showered, and then turned to my wardrobe. I felt like I had to impress him, even though he loved me dearly and I knew that. I had completely forgotten that I still owned the blue dress he bought for me, the one I wore to the memorial. I pulled it out and looked at it, smiling I stepped into it. The last time I had worn this had been one of the saddest days of my life, and now I was wearing it on one of the happiest. I had come full circle. I went back to Finn and sat by the crib. "We're very lucky you know. You should know that when people die, they don't come back. But that's a lesson for when you're older. Much older. For now, you just need to be happy that Daddy is home and he's alive and you will grow up to be just like him."

I took Finn back downstairs to find Finnick still on the phone to Johanna. I rolled by eyes at him and he laughed. "Jo, I have to go now. I think I'm taking my son for his first trip to the beach. "As he went to hang up on her, she was still talking. "You know she'll be here soon. Give her a day and she'll be here. I wouldn't bother calling Katniss now, she'll probably already know." He sighed but it turned into a laugh. A laugh that was so infectious that I couldn't help but laugh with him. "So, is today Finn's first day at the beach?" I nodded and he reached his arms out. "Don't think so, take a shower first. People will be surprised to see you, so at least be clean." He pulled the puppy dog eyes on me. "No, that won't work. We'll meet you there."

The breeze was cold, to me it was refreshing but to the little bundle in my arms it would be bitter. I grabbed him a coat and an extra blanket before heading to the beach. The usual people were there, the fishermen, the net makers, and the children playing. "I used to make nets; that used to be me." He looked up at me as if he was listening.

I sat up against the sea wall, like I always used to with Finnick. I couldn't help but smile. Perfection was hard to come by, but I had finally managed to grab onto it and I didn't intend on letting it go anytime soon. "Hey, mind if I join you" He stood above me, looking gorgeous as ever. "Why of course you may." He sat next to me and put his arm around my shoulder, like old times. "Put his feet in the sand, if this is his first trip to the beach at least let his feet touch the sand." "He's too small." "Give him to me." He took Finn from me and removed his tiny shoes. He gently lowered Finn onto the sand, and as he did, for the first time I heard him laugh. His innocent little boy laugh. "Oh wow." I had tears in my eyes, everything was happening so fast now Finnick was home.

"Annie?" "Yes." "Do you want another?" "What?" "Do you want another? So Finn can have a little brother or sister?" I couldn't believe he was bringing this up, but I knew my answer. "I'd love to, but maybe not yet. He's still so young." "We can plan it though? I'd give anything to be at the birth of my child, I have missed so much by being away for a year, even though he's barely four months old. I missed so much with him, and with you." I never thought that I would get this chance, planning a future with the man I loved. Every girl dreams of it, it had been taken from me so suddenly but I had been lucky enough to get it back.


End file.
